Homeschool benefits and savings in Helena

Admission to the Montana Heritage Center in Helena is free for every visitor, including its three museum galleries, a children's gallery, and regularly scheduled guided tours. Other options include college classes and scholarships.

By Andrew Garber, founder of TheHomeschoolingCompany. Reviewed August 25, 2026.

Montana Heritage Center free admission

Who qualifies

1. Open to every visitor

   Admission is free and open to all visitors. There is no residency, age, or school requirement.

2. Groups can walk in

   School groups and other groups can visit during regular hours without a reservation.

3. Scheduled visits on request

   For a scheduled group visit, a guided tour, or educational programming, use the Montana Historical Society's Field Trips & School Groups page.

What the visit includes

The Montana Historical Society's Montana Heritage Center page lists admission, tours, and parking.

General admission

Free

Guided gallery tours

Free

State Capitol and Original Governor's Mansion tours

Free

Nearby lot or street parking

Free

Lobby storage lockers

Free

Food at Norm's Café and items in the gift shop cost extra, and flash photography and tripods are not allowed in the galleries.

How to plan your visit

1. Before you go

   Check the hours

   The center is open Monday through Wednesday and Friday 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Thursday 9 a.m. to 6:30 p.m., and weekends 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. It closes on Thanksgiving and Christmas Day.

2. For a group trip

   Plan a field trip

   Walk in during regular hours, or arrange a guided tour or educational program through the Field Trips & School Groups page.

3. On the day

   Park and drop off

   Park in nearby lots or on the street. The east entrance roundabout is only for drop-off and pick-up.

4. At the center

   Join a free tour

   Check the tour schedule for regularly scheduled guided tours of the galleries.

What it includes

Included

• Homeland Gallery with a children's gallery
• Charles M. Russell Gallery
• Changing Gallery exhibits
• Guided gallery tours
• Habitats Trail outdoors

Not included

• Café food
• Gift shop purchases

Who to contact about your visit

The Montana Historical Society runs the Montana Heritage Center and answers questions about visits, tours, and group programs.

mths@mt.gov 406-444-2694 Tours and field trips

Helena College dual enrollment

Who qualifies

1. Is 16 or a junior

   Students who are 16 or in their junior year can take college courses. Younger students can ask for acceptance with the Age Waiver Approval Packet.

2. Shows homeschool participation

   Helena College's catalog asks dual enrollment students for proof of high school enrollment or participation in a home school program.

3. Meets course prerequisites

   Your student must satisfy prerequisites and placement requirements for each class chosen.

What it is worth

Helena College's high school page says the first two courses (up to 6 credits) are free under One-Two-Free, and later credits cost half of normal tuition with all fees waived.

First course

$0

Second course (up to 6 credits total)

$0

Each credit after 6

Half of normal tuition

Fees

Waived

Financial hardship

Hardship Scholarship Form

The page does not list the half-tuition dollar amount, so ask Business Services at 406-447-6921 for the current per-credit rate before your student goes past 6 credits.

From applying to keeping it

1. Start

   Fill out the application

   Complete the Dual Enrollment Application and Registration Form and mail it to Helena College, 1115 North Roberts, Helena, MT 59601.

2. Before registering

   Meet the advisor

   For in-person or online Helena College classes, your student meets a Dual Enrollment Advisor before getting registration instructions. A form alone does not hold a seat.

3. Plan ahead

   Map college plans

   Schedule time with the Director of K-12 Partnerships to plan courses toward a college goal.

4. Over 7 credits

   Send immunization records

   Students taking more than 7 credits must send Helena College a copy of their immunization forms.

What it pays for

Covered

• Tuition for the first two courses, up to 6 credits
• Half of tuition after 6 credits
• All fees

Not covered

• The other half of tuition after 6 credits
• Course materials

Good to know

• Homeschooled students can take classes

  Helena College's catalog lists participation in a home school program as one way to meet the dual enrollment requirement, alongside high school enrollment.

Who to contact

Cheryl Ravenscroft, Director of K-12 Partnerships, handles dual enrollment applications and planning.

dualenrollment@helenacollege.edu 406-447-6993 High school students

Homeschool rules and statewide help in Montana

You must notify the county superintendent each school fiscal year. State law does not set a specific calendar deadline.

Montana sets these rules:

• Subjects: Provide an organized course covering the public-school basic instructional program and meet grade-level aggregate hours: 720 for grades 1–3 and 1,080 for grades 4–12. Kindergarten is 360 hours half-time or 720 full-time. For graduating seniors, 1,050 hours may suffice; statutory proficiency exceptions may apply.
• Testing: Montana does not require standardized testing for homeschoolers.
• Records: Montana requires you to keep attendance records and make them available to the county superintendent on request. Current homeschool law does not require immunization records.
• Teachers: No state teaching-license or degree requirement for a homeschool parent.

Montana also has an education savings account that home-educated students can use.

• Montana's special-needs Education Savings Account reimburses approved tuition, curriculum, tutoring, and therapy costs for students with a qualifying disability. Check the program's current notices: a court stay has affected when it operates.

Read the Montana homeschooling guide See statewide programs in Montana

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